One-piece self-locking carton



Jan. 29, 1946.

Fi led Noy. 6, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTVOR A.C.B54RDSELL BV ATTORNEY Jan. 29, 1946. A. c. VBEARDSELL 7 2,393,734

ONE PIECE SELF-LOCKING CARTON Filed Nov. 6 1943 2 shee'is-sheet 2 IN l/E N TOR a R m e-wL ATTORNEY A c. BEARDSELL Patented Jan. 29, 1946 UNITED STATES ONE-PIECE SELF-LOCKING CARTON Allyn 0. Beardsell, Springfield, N. J., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 6, 1943, Serial No. 509,164

v v 7 Claims.

This invention is for a container and more particularly for a one piece self-locking container for' tures must be packed in such a way that all shock and stress is avoided in packing, during shipment, and finally unpacking.

The primary object of the invention is to produce a self-locking carton from a single blank of cardboard, which may be stored in a small space, and which may be speedily assembled by inexperienced people.

Other objects and advantages of the invention may be understood from the accompanying drawings inwhich a Fig. 1 shows the carton assembled;

Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the blank as it has been scoredand cut into the component working pa ts; v

Fig. 3 shows one end wall extension before folding and the other end wall extension folded into the apertured tube gripping member;

. Fig. 4 shows how these tube supporting members are drawn into position and also the assembly of the locking tab and the end wall brace; and

Fig. 5 shows the relationship between the working parts just before the cover flap is brought into position.

Referring to Fig. 1, 5 shows a blank of fibreboard or similar material scored transversely as shown in dotted lines 6 and vertically as shown in dotted lines I. The unit as folded along the scored lines 6 creates tuck flap 9, with a sharply cut away section at 8, cover Ill, back wall ll, bottom l2, front wall I3 with the finger grip section it.

End walls l5 have a pair of like extensions designated by It which serve as bracing sections. Disposed as resilient cut out extensions of end v walls l5, are foldable units I! scored at'B to form walls 2|, 22,23, 24, 25, 26and 21. It will be noted that each of these units are equivalently perforated at I 8 and I! in such a way that when these strips are m'ulti-folded as per Fig. 3 a pair of matchable cushioned platform extensions composed of hollow walls 2|, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28 and 21 result as seen in Fig. 4. In Fig. 5 the relationship between the folded panels is clear. It will also be noted that end wall extensions l 8, Fig. 4 have tabs 20 the geometric proportions of which are such that they project tightly between the sidewalls of the folded portions in such a manner as to effec- 'tively lock the strut sections It to the open end of the folded units.

In assembling the container the blankis laid out as shown in Fig. 2. Tuck flap 9 is folded and the two cut out sections I! are simultaneously interfolded against end walls l5. At the same' time end extensions l6 are locked to the inter- 5 folded units as tabs 20 are pushed between the walls of these cushioned sections. The tube may now be inserted in one pair of the perforations I 8 and I9. As the folded sections have been. formed perforations i8 and I9 have come into alignment as will be clearly seen from Fig. 4. At this stage it will be understood that the top of the tube is resting in one of the openings and both of the tube supporting units are swung inwardly and then outwardly against back wall 12, the position being that shown in Fig. 5. The tuck flap 9 is then pushed between the front wall l3 and a the open ends of members 20, the cut outof the tuck flap being such that a maximum of friction exists at the bearing point.

, While if desired gummed tape or similar material may be strapped around the box merely as a precaution for mailing purposes, otherwise this is not necessary, as the container will remain in a locked position due to the frictional grip as iden- 25 tified'. It will be appreciated that the tube can be taken from this box by inserting the thumb at the thumb grip I4 and merely lifting the cover. The tube supporting units 20 fall outwardly'and the tube is displaced. Due to the fact that in normal use no damage results to the carton it may be unrolled and given its'original form as the blank shown in Fig, 2 and used again and again.

What is claimed is:

1. A blank for fashioning a quick fold fragile article container comprising a flat carton blank transversely scored in a direction coincident with the long axis of the carton blank to form a bottom wall, two end walls, two side walls, a cover, and cover look, a plurality of vertically cut spaced apart coinciding completely multifoldable end wall extensions resiliently integral with the end walls, and a plurality of supplemental side wall portions lockingly engaging said end wall extensions. l

2. A blank for fashioning a fragile article stress take-up container comprising a flexible paper board transversely scored to form a solid four wall self-locking covering, a pair of completely multifoldable spaced apart hollow end wall extensions each of said end wall extensions being centrally perforated and swingable into an operating position simultaneously with the closing of the container. 7

3. A quick foldable self-locking container for 5 vacuum tubes or similar articles, comprising a flexible sheet of paper board or similar material scored to shape into a box, a plurality of conthe cushion grip sections at predetermined points contiguous to the back' wall of the container when the container is closed.

4. A speed fold container for vacuum tubes comprising integral cardboard or similar material foldable into five self-locking solid wall panels, a plurality of congruent auxiliar units completely multifolded in a long axis direction with each of the end panels, andbeing centrally perforated, and a pair of supplemental support sections for said units with each of the end panels lockingly engaging these units.

5. A self-locking one piece quick fold container for fragile articles comprising a single sheet'of flexible carton material longitudinally scored for substantially .its full length to form 7 three units, each of said units being multifoldable to form solid end walls, side walls, cover, cover,

lock, and a pair of spaced apart matchable article grip members completely multifolded in a direction coincidentwith the long axis of the carton material and lockingly engaging each end wall.

6. A self-locking one piece quick fold container for fragile articles comprising a single sheet of flexible carton material longitudinally scored for substantially its full length to form three units, each of said units being multifoldable to form solid end walls, side walls, cover, cover lock, and a pair of spaced apart centrally perforated hollow rectangular article supporting platforms completely multifolded in a direction coincident with the long axis of the carton material and lockingiy engaging each end wall.

7. A self-locking one piece quick fold container for fragile articles comprising a single sheet of flexible carton material longitudinally scored for substantially its full length to form three units, each of said units beingmultifoldable to form solid end walls, side walls, cover, cover lock, a pair of spaced apart matchable article grip members completely interfolded in a direction coincident with the long axis of the carton material ALLYN c. BEARDSEIL. I 

